Packaged products and array of bandoleer of packaged products

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a packaged product ( 3 ) or group ( 19 ) of products, such as a candy, wherein said product or group of products ( 3 ) has an elongated form, wherein the package comprises at least one film ( 1, 2 ) which encloses said product or group of products, and wherein part of said film extends from at least one outer end of the product or group of products, and wherein said part of the film is bent away from the direction of the axis of the elongated product or group of products back towards a part of the film that surrounds the product and is bonded therewith. The invention also relates to an easy opening arrangement for packaged products, and to an array or bandoleer ( 19 ) of products with reduced packaging material.

The invention relates to a packaged product or group of products, suchas a candy, wherein the package comprises at least one film whichencloses said product or group of products.

Such a product is described in WO 2005/019036, wherein an array ofpackaged candy bars is disclosed. The current invention aims atimproving packaged products such that they are cheap in production, easyand efficient to handle and store, have improved display opportunities,are easy to open, and/or require little packaging material.

It is an aim of some aspects of the invention to provide a packagedcandy bar that is easy to open, compared to the manner in whichcurrently candy bars have to be opened. In order to arrive at theinvention, the inventor has studied how people “open” their fruit, anddiscovered that there was one favorite fruit in terms of easy opening,namely the banana. Thus a package was designed that mimics much of thefeatures of a banana peel and that is at the same time easy and fast toproduce.

Also it is an aim of some aspects of the invention to provide a packagethat has excellent display opportunities, and at the same time minimizesthe need for packaging material. It was recognized that a large flatprinting area without folds or other obstacles on the outside of thepackage is desirable. In traditional packages of a multitude of candybars this is achieved by arranging the candy bars (which may or may notbe individually packaged) side by side in an array, and wrapping saidarray in an enclosure, such that the flat side of the enclosure coveringthe upper side of the candy bars forms one large flat printing area. Theinvention also aims at improving the printing area of one singlepackaged candy bar, while minimizing the packaging material.Traditionally packaged candy bars often have a fin at the bottom, formedby the sealed longitudinal sides of the packaging film.

It is a further aim of some aspects of the invention to provide a simpleand easy to produce package wherein a multitude of block shaped candybars can be packed in a dense manner while minimizing the use ofpackaging material, and yet having a large printing area on the outsidesurface. Traditional bandoleer packaging methods provide a relativelylarge printing area, but they are not suitable for packaging blockshaped products such as candy bars in a dense manner.

Even further aims and advantages of the invention will be apparent fromthe current specification.

According to one aspect of the invention part of said film extends fromat least one outer end of the product or group of products, and saidpart of the film is bent backwards towards a part of the film thatsurrounds the product and is bonded therewith. By pulling said bentextending part of the film, the part of the film that surrounds theproduct and that is bonded to the bent part is torn apart, and therebythe package is opened in a very easy, efficient and hygienic manner.

In the preferred embodiment said product or group of products has anelongated form and said part of the film is bent away from the directionof the axis of the elongated product or group of products, back towardssaid part of the film that surrounds the product and is bondedtherewith. Preferably the area adjacent the outer end of said bent partof the film is not bonded to the other part of the film, such that aperson can grab and pull said unbonded part. In the preferred embodimentsaid bond is provided by a cold seal. However, other types of bonds maybe chosen.

Preferably the film is provided with a cut and/or a weakened line in thearea of the bond with the part of the film that is bent, such that saidcut and/or weakened line in said film is covered and sealed in anairtight manner by said bent part of the film. Preferably said cut issubstantially U-shaped or V-shaped, wherein the curve of said U-shape orthe point of said V-shape extends away from the outer end of the productor group of products. Adjacent said cut and/or weakened line preferablya further weakened line is provided in the film extending at both sidesfrom said cut and/or weakened line, and extending around the axis of theproduct along at least half the circumference of the product. Saidfurther weakened line is preferably provided in one of two films betweentwo opposite sealed sides of the film. Hereby the packaging can bepeeled open easily like a banana.

Also in the preferred embodiment the package comprises two substantiallyrectangular films which are sealed together and enclose said product orgroup of products. One of said films is in the preferred embodimentsubstantially flat and the other film is shaped to fit at leastpartially around the product or group of products. The shaped film hasin the preferred embodiment a substantially U-shaped cross section inthe direction transverse to the product or group of products, whereinthe flat film is sealed to the edges of the U-shaped film, such that thesealed parts of the films both extend outwardly, away from the product.The package that is formed this way has a flat side without a fin,having an increased printing area.

The bent part or parts of the sealed films are preferably bonded to theridge of the U-shaped film that extends away from the flat film. Thebent part or parts of the sealed films are preferably bonded to saidridge near the outer ends of the product or group of products. The bentpart or parts of the sealed films are in a first embodiment folded twiceto form sharp perpendicular angles, once near the plane of the flatfilm, and once near the plane through the ridge of the U-shaped film towhich the sealed films are bonded. Preferably the bent part or parts ofthe sealed films are folded close to the outer ends of the product orgroup of products.

In another embodiment the bent part or parts of the sealed films arefolded back once to form a sharp small angle at a distance from theouter ends of the product or group of products. Thereby a still largerprinting area is provided on the package.

The invention also relates to a bandoleer or an array of packagedproducts or groups of products as described above, wherein the productsare connected to each other at opposite longitudinal sides of saidproducts, in particular through parts of said rectangular two films thatare sealed together.

The invention furthermore relates to an array of packaged products, suchas candies, wherein said products or groups of said products have anelongated form and extend parallel to each other, wherein the packagecomprises two substantially rectangular films which are sealed togetherand enclose said products or groups of products, wherein one of saidfilms is substantially flat and the other film is shaped to fit at leastpartially around the products.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention the parts of thesealed films extending from the outer ends of the products or groups ofproducts are bent out of the plane of the flat film and bonded to theother, shaped, film in order to give the array rigidity in the directiontransverse to the products or groups of products.

In the preferred embodiment the shaped film has a substantiallycorrugated form in the direction transverse to the products, wherein theflat film is sealed to the ridges of the corrugated film that extend onone side of the products. Preferably the bent parts of the sealed filmsare bonded to the ridges of the corrugated film that extend away fromthe flat film.

Preferably the sealed areas between the products are weakened, such thatthe packaged products can be easily separated. Preferably the productsare positioned transversely with respect to the elongated films. In thepreferred embodiment the portions of the films that are sealed togetherbetween the products are provided with a score extending between bothside edges of the films, and an elongated cut is provided on the centrepart of said score, which cut has a length of approximately 10%-30% ofthe length of the products. Hereby the products can be easily separatedwhile still a rigid array is obtained through relatively firmlyconnected bent sides.

The invention also relates to a bandoleer or an array, wherein thethickness of the products in the direction perpendicular to the plane ofthe bandoleer or array is larger than, preferably at least two times,more preferably at least three times the distance between the productsin the longitudinal direction of the bandoleer or array.

Preferably the products are packaged in a removable enclosure, whereinthe products are positioned on a first sheet which is continuously movedin a transport direction, wherein the products are covered by a secondsheet which is continuously moved in the same transport direction andwhich is aligned substantially plane-parallel to the first sheet, andwherein the first and second sheets are sealed together near the outeredges of the individual products or grouped products by a sealingdevice.

The sealing device preferably comprises sealing ribs extendingsubstantially transversely to the transport direction on one side of themoving sheets, wherein said sealing ribs are being moved at the samespeed as the sheets and the sealing ribs seal the first and secondsheets together in between the moving products. Thereby the sheets canmove continuously, without the need to interrupt the movement forsealing the sheets together. Preferably the sealing device comprises arotating frame, the rotation axis of said frame extending transverselyto the transport direction, wherein said sealing ribs extend from acoaxial cylindrical surface of said frame.

In order to prevent damage to the products, in particular if theproducts have a substantial height, at least one of said sheets ispreferably pre-shaped to fit at least partially around the productsbefore the film comes into contact with the products. Said pre-shapingaction is preferably performed by a pre-shaping device comprising afirst rotating shaping frame on one side of the moving sheet and asecond rotating shaping shape on the opposite side of the moving sheet,the rotation axes of both frames extending transversely to the transportdirection of the sheet, wherein said frames comprise co-operatingprotruding shaping ribs extending substantially transversely to thetransport direction, wherein the shaping ribs of both frames movebetween each other, and wherein said shaping ribs are being moved at thesame speed as the pre-shaped sheet. Preferably the first pre-shapingframe is positioned such that it guides the pre-shaped film towards theother moving sheet while including the products. Preferably the firstpre-shaping frame is the same frame as the rotating frame of the sealingdevice, and the shaping ribs on said frame are said sealing ribs.

The described method is particularly advantageous when the products havean elongated form and are positioned transversely on the first movingsheet. The sealing ribs may for instance comprise hot seal means.Preferably however the sealing ribs comprise ultrasonic welding means,in particular when the products have ingredients that melt easily.Preferably the sealed areas between the products are perforated orscored, such that the packaged products stay attached to each other, butcan be easily separated.

At least one of said sheets is preferably pre-shaped by a pre-shapingdevice to fit at least partially around the products before the sheetcomes into contact with the products, wherein said pre-shaping devicecomprises a first rotating shaping frame on one side of the moving sheetand a second rotating shaping frame on the opposite side of the movingsheet, the rotation axes of both drums extending transversely to thetransport direction of the sheet, wherein said frames compriseco-operating protruding shaping ribs extending substantiallytransversely to the transport direction, wherein the shaping ribs ofboth frames move between each other, and wherein said shaping ribs arebeing moved at the same speed as the pre-shaped sheet.

The invention will be illustrated by way of exemplary embodiments withreference to the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a packaging device;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of a detail of the packaging deviceof FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a further schematic side view of a detail of the packagingdevice of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of an array of packaged products;

FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C show perspective views of an array of packagedproducts and its use.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show side views of two embodiments of packaged products;and

FIG. 8 shows a schematic view of the location of cuts, weakened linesand seal areas on the package in the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6.

With reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 the packaging device has a first rollof flexible plastic film 1 (or more rigid plastic coated cardboard in analternative embodiment) on one side and a second roll of flexibleplastic film 2. Instead of plastic film also plastic coated film (forinstance plastic coated metalic foil) may be used. The elongated candybars 3 are placed transversely on a first endless conveyor 4. Aseparation device 5 has a barrier which moves up and down at regularintervals for spacing the candy bars 3 a pre-defined distance apart.

The second conveyor 6, the third conveyor 7, the fourth conveyor 8, thefifth conveyor 9, as well as film 1 all move at the same speed, which islarger than the speed of conveyor 4 in order to accommodate the largermutual distance of the candy bars.

The flexible plastic film 2 is first led between two rollers 31, whichare provided with cutting knives to provide U-shaped cuts 24 in the filmas shown in FIG. 8, and is subsequently led between co-operatingrotating shaping drums 10, 11. Both drums 10, 11 have protruding shapingribs 12, 13 which during rotation are moved between each other like agear unit, thereby corrugating the plastic film 2 into the desiredshape. The drum 10 has flexible suction cups 14 between its ribs 12which hold the pre-shaped film by a vacuum action force.

The pre-shaped film 2 is placed on top of the moving candy bars 3 by thedrum 10 while they are at the same time being transferred by theconveyor 6 onto the moving film 1. In this manner the candy bars 3 areenclosed in the flat film 1 and the pre-shaped plastic film 2. When theribs 12 are at their lowest point 2 they push the plastic film 2 ontothe plastic film 1, where the plastic film 2 is welded to plastic film 1by a first ultrasonic welding device 22, which co-operate withultrasonic welding means present in the sealing ribs 12. In this mannera series of interconnected tubes is formed, each tube comprising a candybar. By changing the opening time of the separation device 5 also two ormore candy bars 3 can be grouped together and enclosed in a single tubethereby.

Subsequently the transverse seals between the candy bars 3 areperforated or scored by a rotating drum 24 having scoring or perforatingribs 15. Then the ends of the film 2 which extend from the sides of thecandy bars 3 are pushed down by two further ultrasonic sealing devices16 and sealed to the film 1, thereby forming sealed parts 21, wherebythe candy bars 3 are enclosed inside both films in an airtight manner.Preferably the outer ends of both films 1, 2 coincide, as shown in FIGS.6 and 7. At this stage the candy bars 3 form an endless array ofinterconnected packaged products. The separation drum 17 separates theproducts into arrays 19 of for instance six candy bars each by means ofcutting ribs 18.

A folding device 30 folds both longitudinal sides of the package withthe sealed outer ends 21 upwards near the outer bottom edges of thepackaged products 3 and may fold them again over the outer upper edgesof the shaped layer 2, as shown in FIG. 6. The sealed sides that extendfrom the outer ends of the products 3 are thereby folded back to thepart of the film 2 that surrounds the product 3 and is bonded thereto aswill be explained later.

The array 19 of candy bars 3 as shown in FIG. 4 has a flat layer 1 onthe bottom side and a shaped plastic film layer 2 on the top side whichis sealed onto the cardboard layer 1 in between the candy bars 3. Thesetransverse seals have scores or perforations 20 so that individualproducts can be easily torn off, without breaking the seal. Both sealedlongitudinal sides of the package with the sealed outer ends 21 arefolded upwards and may be sealed to the sides of the film 2, giving thearray 19 such rigidity that it can subsequently be treated as a box. Inthe embodiment as shown in FIG. 4 layer 1 is a plastic coated cardboard,which adds to the rigidity of the array. The layer 1 may however also bea flexible film.

The array 19 of candy bars 3 as shown in FIG. 5A has a flat flexibleplastic film layer 1 on the bottom side and a flexible shaped plasticfilm layer 2 on the top side which is sealed onto the flat layer 1 inbetween the candy bars 3. These transverse seals each have a score 20and a central cut 32 along said score, so that individual products canbe easily torn off, as shown in FIG. 5B, without breaking the seal. Bothlongitudinal sides of the package that extend away from the products 3and which have sealed ends 21 are folded upwards near the outer bottomedges of the packaged products 3 and folded again over the outer upperedges of the shaped, corrugated layer 2, as shown in FIG. 6, and sealedto the ends of the top surface (ridges) thereof, giving the array 19such rigidity that it can subsequently be treated as a box. In analternative embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the longitudinal sides ofthe package are folded only once at a sharp angle at a substantialdistance from the outer ends of the products 3 before being sealed tothe ends of the top surface (ridges) of the shaped, corrugated layer 2,whereby a larger display area of the package is achieved. Whereas inFIG. 7 the folds at the outer ends are shown approximately halfway thebottom and the top planes of the product, in another preferredembodiment (not shown) the folds at the outer ends extend in or near thebottom plane of the product, i.e. the plane extending through the bottomfilm 1, whereby an extended flat display area of the film 1 is achieved.

The array 19 can be shipped to and exposed in shops, and sold to thepublic, without the need to enclose it in a further layer of wrappingmaterial.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5A, contrary to prior art bandoleers, thedistance between the products in the array is relatively small comparedto the height of the products. Said distance is for instance less than10 or 5 mm, whereas the height of the candy bars is for instance morethan 15 or 25 mm.

As shown in FIG. 8 the shaped film 2 is provided with cold seal areas28, 23. These cold seal surfaces 22, 23 are provided on the film 2before it is fed into the packaging device. The cold seal areas 28 formtwo continuous bands near both outer sides of the film 2. At least onone side a band between the cold seal area 28 and the outer end of thefilm 2 is however not provided with cold seal material, in order toleave a grabbing portion 26. The cold seal areas 23 are rectangularareas which are provided on those locations on the film 2 that form theseal areas near the outer ends of the top surfaces of the shaped film 2as shown. On one side of the film 2 for each packaged product a U-shapedcut 24 is provided. The cold seal area 23 surrounds said cut 24, suchthat when the seal area 28 of the sealed part 21 of the films 1, 2 ispressed onto the seal area 23 on the top surface of the shaped film 2,said part 21 is bonded to the film 2 and said cut 24 is sealed in anairtight manner. The U-shaped cut 24 is oriented such that the curve ofthe U points towards the centre of the product 3, whereas the legs ofthe U point towards the outer end of the product 3. The film 2 isfurthermore provided with a score 25 that runs parallel to said one sideof the film 2, and through the outer ends of the legs of the U-shapedcuts 24. The seal area 23 of the sealed side 21 is bonded to at least aportion 27 of the film 2 between the score 25 and the outer end of thepackage.

When a person takes a packaged product in one hand, and pulls thegrabbing portion 26 of the sealed side 21 with the other hand, as shownin FIG. 5C, the seal area 28 on the side 21 will pull at the U-shapedseal area inside the cut 24 and the seal area above score 25, andthereby the score 25 will break and the entire peel-off section 27forming the outer end of the package will be separated from the rest ofthe film 2, such that the package will be opened and the product 3 willbe revealed and stick out of the package. By pulling the grabbingportion 26 or the peel-off section 27 even further, the flat film 1 willbe separated from the shaped film 2 along their side edges that aresealed together, very similar to the way a banana is peeled open.Thereby the packaged product can be easily opened and consumed by aperson, without touching the product.

1.-17. (canceled)
 18. A bandoleer or an array (19) of packaged products(3) or groups of products, wherein the products (3) are connected toeach other at opposite longitudinal sides of said products, inparticular through parts of said rectangular two films (1, 2) that aresealed together, wherein each package of the packaged products (3) orgroup of products, comprises at least one film (1, 2) which enclosessaid product (3) or group of products, and wherein part of said film (1,2) extends away from at least one outer end of the product (3) or groupof products, and wherein said part of the film is bent back towards apart of the film (2) that surrounds the product and is bonded therewith.19. An array (19) of packaged products (3), such-as candies, whereinsaid products or groups of said products (3) have an elongated form andextend parallel to each other, wherein the package comprises twosubstantially rectangular films (1, 2) which are sealed together andenclose said products (3) or groups of products, wherein one of saidfilms (1) is substantially flat and the other film (2) is shaped to fitat least partially around the products (3), wherein the parts of thesealed films (1, 2) extending from the outer ends of the products (3) orgroups of products are bent out of the plane of the flat film (1) andbonded to the other, shaped, film (2) in order to give the array (19)rigidity in the direction transverse to the products (3) or groups ofproducts.
 20. An array (19) of packaged products (3) in accordance withclaim 19, wherein the shaped film (2) has a substantially corrugatedform in the direction transverse to the products, wherein the flat film(1) is sealed to the ridges of the corrugated film (2) that extend onone side of the products (3).
 21. An array (19) of packaged products (3)in accordance with claim 19, wherein the bent parts of the sealed films(1, 2) are bonded to the ridges of the corrugated film (2) that extendaway from the flat film (1).
 22. An array (19) of packaged products (3)in accordance with claim 19, wherein the bent parts of the sealed films(1, 2) are folded twice to form sharp perpendicular angles, once nearthe plane of the flat film (1), and once near the plane through theridges to which the sealed films (1, 2) are bonded.
 23. An array (19) ofpackaged products (3) in accordance with claim 19 wherein the bent partsof the sealed films (1, 2) are folded close to the outer ends of theproducts (3) or groups of products.
 24. An array (19) of packagedproducts (3) in accordance with claim 19, wherein the bent parts of thesealed films (1, 2) are folded back once to form a sharp small angle ata distance from the outer ends of the products (3) or groups ofproducts.
 25. An array (19) of packaged products (3) in accordance withclaim 20, wherein the bent parts of the sealed films (1, 2) are bondedto said ridges near the outer ends of the products (3) or groups ofproducts.
 26. An array (19) of packaged products (3) in accordance withclaim 19, wherein the sealed areas between the products (3) areweakened, such that the packaged products (3) can be easily separated.27. An array (19) of packaged products (3) in accordance with claim 19,wherein the products (3) are positioned transversely with respect to theelongated films (1, 2).
 28. A bandoleer or an array (19) in accordancewith claim 18, wherein the thickness of the products (3) in thedirection perpendicular to the plane of the bandoleer or array is largerthan, preferably at least two times, more preferably at least threetimes the distance between the products (3) in the longitudinaldirection of the bandoleer or array.